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  1. #1
    Player
    Phenidate's Avatar
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    Apr 2011
    Location
    Windurst
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    344
    Character
    Autumn Lovelace
    World
    Sargatanas
    Main Class
    Conjurer Lv 80
    I'm not 100% against randomized results, since it keeps things from being overly predictable... but in the case of things like this its just an example of how abusive the system can be.

    This article actually does a fantastic job of summing up Luck in games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/featur...uck.php?page=1

    Going off the article, SE frequently employs Luck overtly and an incongruous manner (see the many superstitions and rumors from back in FFXI like having to face east on a earth day or that eating a specific food before planting in your house would alter the results.) Whether its a positive or negative application of luck is up for debate, though I feel its a negative one given the amount of investment demanded in this case, with the difficulty of reliably gathering high quality materials and being rewarded with a marginal increase in your 'luck'. (spending a week gets you a bonus 5% chance at your desired result while spending just an hour gets you the base chance or better)

    I get the feeling it partly boils down to how over simple the crafting in this game is. Considering we have 8 entire classes dedicated to the act of crafting, you'd think there would be a more developed and interesting mechanic behind the act of crafting than "crafting text adventure".

    Perhaps it may be fair to say SE is gimping potential rewards for crafting because its 'too easy a system'. This interacts poorly with the amount of investment and complexity of game play fighting has in the game.

    I'm hoping the devs are open to considering redoing the crafting system on the same scale they revamped combat. Right now its all random chance, with the way orbs, abilities, and success interacts the only effort it requires of a player is the ability to use the arrow keys and the enter key. Our direct input is nothing but rolling dice with different weights.

    Since SE is always looking for ways to slow down or stop RMT, think of it as an intelligence barrier to entry. Making crafting require more skill to do would cut out a lot of the bots and RMT who just mash macros all day in some forsaken corner of the world.
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    Last edited by Phenidate; 08-17-2011 at 07:01 AM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phenidate View Post
    This article actually does a fantastic job of summing up Luck in games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/featur...uck.php?page=1
    Interesting article, but I believe luck in games can be even more generalized with a gradient between "luck that can be controlled by the player", and "luck that can't be controlled by the player."

    Also using Tetris as an example, is a perfect display of luck that is controlled by the player. You don't choose which blocks fall, but you're able to make due with this by placing the blocks where they fit the best. The control comes in the form of allowing the player to place the blocks where they want. And thus, the player can perfectly account for the random element of the game.

    The current crafting system has very little player controlled luck, which drives me up a wall sometimes. Not really in terms of HQ, but just in terms of some really unlucky synths. I don't normally screw up a synth, but the once every 15-20ish times is still really discouraging. The player should always feel like they have influence over the outcome of the game.
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  3. #3
    Player
    Phenidate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Windurst
    Posts
    344
    Character
    Autumn Lovelace
    World
    Sargatanas
    Main Class
    Conjurer Lv 80
    Quote Originally Posted by RabidSquirrel View Post
    Interesting article, but I believe luck in games can be even more generalized with a gradient between "luck that can be controlled by the player", and "luck that can't be controlled by the player."

    Also using Tetris as an example, is a perfect display of luck that is controlled by the player. You don't choose which blocks fall, but you're able to make due with this by placing the blocks where they fit the best. The control comes in the form of allowing the player to place the blocks where they want. And thus, the player can perfectly account for the random element of the game.

    The current crafting system has very little player controlled luck, which drives me up a wall sometimes. Not really in terms of HQ, but just in terms of some really unlucky synths. I don't normally screw up a synth, but the once every 15-20ish times is still really discouraging. The player should always feel like they have influence over the outcome of the game.
    Tetris is actually an example used in the article, pretty much how you said with luck determining what you get but player skill determining the results.

    I'd like to see a minigame more like gathering has honestly. It would give me something more interesting to do than spam standard for the 500000th time while I watch anime.

    If they change up how we go about actually crafting game wise, we'd hopefully see more meaningful play influence in the HQ results. Not 100% guarantee on exactly what we want of course, it would just trivialize the results. Maybe instead reward in better proportions for playing well as a crafter.
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    Last edited by Phenidate; 08-17-2011 at 08:30 AM.